LABORATORY ANIMAL SHARED RESOURCE The primary purpose of the Laboratory Animal Shared Resource is to provide the resources and environment with which animals models of cancer can be created and analyzed for the Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center. This shared resource provides housing and high quality maintenance and care for laboratory animals. The facility also provides technical expertise in small animal surgery, administration of chemical and radiological reagents. A critical component of the facility is the maintenance of a high quality barrier facility to generate a specific pathogen free environment that ensures the accurate interpretation of experimental results. The in-colony health surveillance program ensures that fidelity of the facility. The Animal Shared Resource has maintained full AAALAC accreditation since 1977. The facility is operated as a partial barrier system in which all animals are housed in sterile microisolator cages. The facility is composed of 29 animal rooms, along with the requisite cage and food storage area, a dedicated necropsy room, and a tunnel cage washer. The shared resource has consistently maintained the highest level of expertise and proficiency greatly enhancing the work of the cancer center members.